Following persistent insurgent attacks, especially in the northern part of the country, President Bola Tinubu has ordered a comprehensive review of the nation’s security framework, emphasizing the urgent need to establish state police.
The move follows a brutal assault on worshippers at a mosque in Unguwan Mantau, Malumfashi area of Katsina State, where at least 40 people were killed and several others injured during early morning prayers.
Tinubu emphasized that protecting lives and restoring peace requires solutions tailored to the unique challenges of each state.
He further noted that the government is prepared to take bold steps to end criminal operations that have terrorized rural communities and threatened national stability.
The President made this known on Tuesday at the State House in Abuja, where he received a delegation from Katsina led by Governor Dikko Radda.
During the meeting, Tinubu revealed that plans are already underway to deploy advanced military equipment, including surveillance drones, alongside enhanced forest guard operations to track and neutralize bandits.
“I am reviewing all the aspects of security; I have to create a state police. We are looking at that holistically. We will defeat insecurity. We must protect our children, our people, our livelihood, our places of worship, and our recreational spaces. They can’t intimidate us,” the President added.
He also acknowledged inherited challenges, including porous borders and overstretched federal security agencies, but insisted that his administration would not relent.
“Security challenges are tough but not insurmountable,” he said. “We are determined to fix the weaknesses we met on the ground. Our people deserve peace.”
Tinubu confirmed that all security agencies had been ordered to intensify operations in Katsina and provide daily progress reports.
He added that additional drones had been approved to boost intelligence gathering and rapid response capacity across volatile areas.
The President also used the occasion to pay tribute to former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his death as a “collective loss,” while assuring Katsina leaders that Buhari’s legacy would be preserved.
“He left a legacy of strength, not defeat,” Tinubu said. “We must honour that by pushing Nigeria forward, not looking back in sorrow.”
Meanwhile, Governor Radda expressed gratitude for what he described as the President’s “unfailing support” for Katsina, citing federal appointments, infrastructure projects, and responsiveness to requests.
He, however, appealed for more assistance in youth empowerment, security, and development projects to further stabilise the state.
Other dignitaries, including former Governor Aminu Masari and Senator Ibrahim Ida, also commended the federal government’s efforts and called for more targeted interventions, especially in southern Katsina, where communities remain highly vulnerable to attacks.
The meeting ended with renewed commitments from both federal and state authorities to work together in restoring peace and accelerating socio-economic development across Katsina State.
